Applicator for hair-treating solutions



Aug. 20, 1957 B. CE'RVELLI APPLICATOR FOR HAIR-TREATING sow'nous Filed July '11, 1955 INVENTOR. fir eaemelfi United States The present invention relates to improvements in an applicator for hair-treating solutions, such as hair dyeing, bleaching and permanent wave solutions and hair tonics, and its principal object is to provide an applicator of the character described which is easy and convenient in use, protects the hands of the operator, will absorb a generous amount of solution for application to the hair in a single operation, and which will allow of application of any desired degree of pressure for transferring the solution to the hair.

More particularly, it is proposed to use a rather heavy body of sponge rubber for absorbing the solution when dipped thereinto and for transferring the solution to the hair.

It is further proposed to mount a portion of the rubber body in a cup adapted for easy gripping by the operator and for protecting the hand of the operator during the transfer operation and to serve as a reservoir for collecting excess liquid and for releasing the same as the operation proceeds.

Another object of my invention is to provide anchoring means whereby the body of sponge rubber may be readily secured in the cup, this anchoring means allowing the sponge rubber body to be readily applied and detached, and allowing of quick substitution of one body for another where a change in solution is desired, or where the applicator is used successively on a number of different persons.

And finally, it is proposed to provide a handle for the cup, the handle having seal-tight connection with the bottom of the cup and facilitating the manipulation of the applicator, while the cup protects the handle and prevents liquid from running down the handle.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be disclosed as the specification proceeds, and the new and useful features of my applicator will be fully defined in the claim attached hereto.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of my applicator;

Figure 2, a longitudinal section through my applicator with a sponge rubber body shown in full;

Figure 3, a cross-section through the sponge rubber body used in my invention, taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4, a cross-section through the applicator as seen from line 4-4 of Figure 2 with the sponge body removed therefrom.

While I have shown only the preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claim attached hereto, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my applicator 5 comprises in its principal features, a sponge rubber body 6, a cup 7 adapted to have one end of the rubber body ice anchored therein, anchoring means for the body, and a handle 8 projecting from the bottom of the cup.

The sponge rubber body 6 is preferably square in cross section, approximately one inch thick and two and onehalf inches in length, and in its free state is of uniform cross-section.

The cup 7 has a fiat bottom 9, circular in shape and somewhat less than an inch in diameter, and an upwardly expanding, frusto-conical side wall 10, with an upper opening about one and three-eighths inches in diameter. The cup may be about three-quarters of an inch in height.

These dimensions allow one end of the rubber body, in its free state, to be readily introduced into the cup and to hold itself by friction.

For a firmer hold of the rubber body in the cup I provide an anchoring means comprising a disc 11 which is preferably made of plastic material and which has an outer circumference having a snug fit with the inside of the cup about midway the height thereof.

The disc is formed with a central opening 12 approximately one-half an inch in diameter, and the edge of this opening is serrated or toothed, as at 13. This disc may be readily clamped upon one end of the rubber body by crowding the rubber material through the opening and allowing the teeth to anchor themselves in the rubber material, which latter is thus made to form a reduced neck, as shown at 14, which expands, downwardly of the disc, substantially to its original size.

The disc is anchored to the rubber body at a point to allow the lower end of the rubber body to reach the bottom end of the cup when the disc is lowered approximately half way down into the cup.

The disc may be releasably anchored to the cup by any suitable means as by a pair of notches 15 in the rim of the disc passing over a corresponding pair of tongues 16 projecting from the wall of the cup and engaging underneath the same on a turning movement of the disc, the rim of the disc coming to rest on stops or ledges 16'.

To facilitate manipulation of the disc, the latter is provided with a finger 20 projecting upwardly from the rim thereof and projecting slightly above the wall of the cup to serve as a hand grip. Again, the tongues 16 may be made sufliciently small to alow the rim of the disc, which has inherent elasticity, to pass the tongues on a straight up and down movement without using the notches.

The handle 8, which is in the form of a conventional tooth brush handle, may be permanently secured upon the bottom of the cup, so as to project downwardly therefrom or may be threaded part way into the bottom of the cup for easy removal.

In any case, the bottom of the cup will form a leakproof seal, with or without the handle.

In use, the operator having a number of sponge rubber bodies ather disposal, selects one, applies the discupon one end thereof, in the manner described, and lowers the assembled structure into the cup, with the notches 15 passing over the tongues 16, whereupon the disc may be locked by a turning movement.

When the notches are omitted, and the tongues are made sufficiently small for the purpose, parts of the rim of the disc may be forced past the same for automatically locking the disc.

The operator then dips the projecting end of the rub her body into the desired solution, turns the applicator upside down, moves it to the hair to be treated, and then again tilts the applicator to the proper angle for applying the solution.

For exerting pressure, the operator may use the handle, but she also may shift her hold to the cup, being sure that her hands will be protected from contact with the solution.

For ease of handling and change from one solution to another, or change from one patron to another, the manufacturer will naturally furnish the sponge rubber bodies in multiples, and it is also perfectly feasible, in view of the negligible cost of the discs, to furnish the sponge rubber bodies in multiples with the discs already attached thereto.

For removal of the sponge, the operator merely grasps the finger 20, and the disc will readily free itself, either upon a straight upward pull, or upon a turning movement followed by an upward pull.

I claim:

An applicator for a hair-treating solution, comprising a cup having a closed bottom and an outwardly tapering, conical wall, an elongated sponge rubber body of uniform cross-section, and means 'for releasably' securing one end of the body in the cup with a major portion of the body projecting beyond the cup, the body being dirnensioned and shaped to provide clearance at the upper edge of the cup for free drainage of liquid from the projecting portion of the body into the cup when the latter isheld in upright position, the securing means icornprising a disc having a central hole with a serrated edge clamped upon the body near one end thereof, and means for anchoring the disc to the inside of the cup, with a finger projecting from the disc to project above the cup when the disc is positioned in the cup to facilitate insertion and removal of the disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 249,589 Coles et al. Nov. 15, 1881 258,926 Keene June 6, 1882 656,301 Pf eiifer a Aug. 21, 1900 779,503 Robbins Ian. 10, 1905 1,358,733 Heine Nov. 16, 1920 1,534,827 Aste Apr. 21, 1925 2,239,054 Rock Apr. 22, 1941 2,732,824 Brown Jan. 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 172,503 Austria Sept. 25, 1952 444,265 Great Britain Mar. 18, 1936 

